Primark has confirmed it will be rolling out a major change across all of its UK stores from the start of April. The retailer has made the decision as thousands of people struggle to cope with the cost of living crisis.
As of Saturday, April 1, all of Primark's retail floor workers will be paid more. The move will affect 26,000 of its retail assistants in the UK.
All stores in England, Wales and Scotland will see the change introduced. However, some Primark workers will be paid more than others.
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The average pay rise across the discount clothes retailer will be 12%, which will take pay to £11 for staff across England, Scotland and Wales. The pay rise for staff based in London will rise to £11.51 an hour. Staff will see the increase in their April payslip with the new hourly rates introduced for staff from April 1.
This is the second pay rise Primark has given staff in the last two years with the retailer having also upped wages by 12% last year. Alongside the rate increases, Primark will also be removing age-related pay rates for those under 23.
This means all Primark retail assistants, no matter whether they are 16 years or 50, will be paid the same wage for the work they do. Before, Primark paid their staff dependent on their age, which was in line with the Government's rates of pay with National Living Wage being paid to those over 23 years, and minimum wage being paid to those under.
Minimum wage is then paid at different rates for the ages of between 21-22, 18-20, and those under 18. You have to be 16 years old to get a job at Primark.
The wage increases for Primark staff are over the UK's Living Wage from April 2023-24 which is £10.42. Primark said the wage increase follows the retailer's plan announced last November of investing at least £140million in the UK high street over the next two years.
This plan also included opening four new stores in the UK which Primark said would create 850 news jobs. As well as this, Primark plans to relocate its High Wycombe and Bradford stores, and make another even bigger.
The high street fashion chain has announced plans to double the size of its store in the Westfield City Shopping Centre in Stratford, London. The Stratford store will expand from two floors to four, increasing its size from 45,100sq ft to 81,000sq ft, says the Mirror.
Primark says this move will create 250 new jobs. On the Stratford expansion, Kari Rodgers Primark's retail director said: “After setting out an ambitious investment plan a few months ago, it’s exciting that we can now reveal another one of the stores set to benefit.
“We’re looking forward to extending our offering at Westfield and giving shoppers in Stratford even more of the great style and incredible value they love the most.”
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